MoveOn is putting some punch in this race

Congressman Chris Chocola is painted in an unflattering way in TV ads. His hand is painted red. And he is painted as in cahoots with a disgraced lobbyist. The Republican from Indiana's 2nd District no doubt would like to move on without delay to issues such as the economy, where he hopes to paint a prettier picture. But MoveOn.org, the organization running the TV ads, has no intention of letting him move on without DeLay. Tom DeLay, the once-powerful "Hammer" now being forced out of Congress by ever-darkening scandal clouds, is among the folks painted with red hands in the TV ad. The others along with DeLay and Chocola are convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Vice President Dick Cheney. They are all said to be Republicans "caught red-handed" at one nasty thing or another. Fair? Not if there is the suggestion -- and there is -- that Chocola might have done something illegal in connection with Abramoff bribes. Voters certainly may disagree, if they wish, with Chocola's solid support of President Bush, but clearly he has voted that support because of his belief in those principles, not due to any lobbyist providing incentives. Fair? If the ad is evaluated in terms of a 30-second spot designed to define a candidate in an unfavorable way through association with members of his party who now are unpopular, then, sure, it's fair game. Democratic challenger Joe Donnelly will receive similar treatment. He will as the campaign goes on be linked in TV spots with Democrats who are likely to be unpopular in the 2nd District. Let's see, Donnelly probably will be painted as in cahoots with Hillary Clinton, Teddy Kennedy and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Maybe Howard Dean, too. Chocola responded to the TV spots by denouncing MoveOn as "a radical group that does not share the views or values of the people of the 2nd District." He also denied the specific charge against him that he "has been caught red-handed, protecting oil company profits while we pay more at the pump." MoveOn cites documentation for its charges. Chocola cites documentation for his defense. And oil policy is a matter that will be debated in the campaign. Chocola also called on Donnelly and Donnelly's primary election opponent, Steve Francis, to, in effect, repudiate the MoveOn ads. There is no more chance of that than there is that Chocola will repudiate ads that independent groups will use to savage his fall opponent. Candidates actually are prohibited from coordinating efforts with such independent groups. Thus, Donnelly has no voice in what MoveOn says. Similar Move.On ads were run against Republicans in three other House races in Connecticut, Virginia and Ohio. One of the targets, Congresswoman Nancy Johnson, Republican incumbent in Connecticut's 5th District, hit back, going on TV immediately with her own ads attacking MoveOn. Good strategy, in the view of the political consultants who favor never letting an attack go without an even stronger attack in defense. Air wars, which actually began in Indiana during the Toll Road lease battle, are likely to intensify. Two congressional districts, Indiana's 8th and 9th, already are in play as top contests in the nation in terms of control of the U.S. House of Representatives. It appears that the Donnelly vs. Chocola race now is in line for national attention as well. That was signaled with the announcement by Congressman Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, that he's coming to South Bend Monday for a fundraiser for Donnelly and a show of support from the DCCC. That committee gave Donnelly zilch last campaign, when the poorly-funded Donnelly was easily dispatched by Chocola. The $250-a-plate lunch won't raise a lot for Donnelly, but word of Emanuel's visit and the MoveOn targeting will spur national attention and money. The oft-cited National Journal Hotline list of top races now puts Indiana's 2nd among the "mid-major" contests, in 44th place. It could move up if polls show a tight race. Or, if a poll shows Chocola pulling farther ahead, it could drop from the final list for all-out attention by the parties and groups such as MoveOn and Republican independent groups on the other side. The MoveOn spots will have an effect. All the talk and news coverage about the spots helps to focus attention on the race, no doubt convincing some Democrats who have been lukewarm about Donnelly that he really can win. The Democratic base could be energized. There's another side to the coin. Some Republicans who have been lukewarm about Chocola because of concern about the president's policies on spending or Iraq, or even due to disdain for some decision's by Gov. Mitch Daniels, could well be angered by the MoveOn spot and be energized now to get to the polls and support Chocola. Jack Colwell is a columnist for The Tribune. Write to him in care of The Tribune or by e-mail at jcolwell@comcast.net.